The Self-Care Forum fully endorses Sir John Oldham's belief that self-care is more than a ‘nice' thing to do (‘Three reasons to support self-care'). He raises some interesting points around self-care being essential for NHS survival and the role of GPs in communicating to patients.
Self-care should be an integral part of the healthcare system, requiring a holistic, pan-NHS approach to give patients consistent messages on individual responsibility. This goes beyond the GP – encouraging self-care should be a core tenet in every primary care, secondary care, A&E or 111 interaction, including advice from NHS Direct and NHS Choices. A more proactive approach to self-care is essential if the NHS is to equip patients to become confident in managing their health in the future.
From Gopa Mitra, Director of health policy and public affairs, Self-Care Forum
